פִּרְאָם
𐤐𐤓𐤀𐤌
Piream
H6502 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Piram (פִּרְאָם) is a proper personal name designating an individual, specifically a king of Yarmuth/Jarmuth mentioned in the context of the Israelite conquest in Canaan. The name’s lexical meaning appears to relate to the root for 'wild donkey,' suggestive of untamed or wild in association, but as a personal name, it does not function as a descriptive adjective but as a fixed proper noun.
Semantic Range
proper name (Canaanite individual), possibly: wild, untamed (by etymology), no broader lexical usage
Root / Etymology
From the root פ-ר-א (פרא), meaning 'wild donkey' or 'wild, untamed.' The form פִּרְאָם may represent a Canaanite personal name derived either from a direct use of the term or as an abbreviated form of a theophoric or descriptive phrase, though the precise theophoric pattern is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Piram is attested only in Joshua 10:3, as one of five Canaanite kings in southern Canaan (king of Yarmuth/Jarmuth) who allied against Gibeon and Joshua. The name appears clearly Canaanite and fits the broader onomastic pattern in the region, where animal imagery in personal names is not uncommon. While the underlying root carries the idea of untamed wildness (as in the wild donkey), this does not necessarily inform the individual's character in the narrative. English translations render פִּרְאָם simply as 'Piram,' following the convention for proper names. No indication exists that the name carried ethnic or religious meaning beyond the identification of a Canaanite king. There is no continuity of the name for later Judean or Israelite usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פֶּרֶא; wildly; Piram, a Canaanite; Piram.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרא (p-r-ʾ) — to be wild, be untamed, wild donkey
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6500 | פָּרָא | he will make fruitful |
| H6501 | פֶּרֶא | wild donkeys |
| H6509 | פָּרָה | and they will bear fruit |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6502-01 |
פִּרְאָ֨ם | piream | HNp |
Piram | Piram | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6502-01 |
Joshua 10:3 | פִּרְאָ֨ם | piream | HNp |
Piram | Piram |